Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a nationwide, bipartisan coalition of 50 attorneys general urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to crack down on illegal robocalls by enforcing stricter “Know Your Customer” (KYC) requirements on phone service providers.

The coalition’s proposal targets originating voice service providers—the initial gateways that allow calls onto the U.S. phone network—demanding they implement rigorous vetting processes to stop scammers before fraudulent calls reach consumers.

Last year, Americans were bombarded with more than 29.6 billion scam robocalls and texts, resulting in nearly $2 billion in financial losses. Law enforcement officials argue that existing verification rules are far too weak, allowing bad actors to exploit network loopholes.

“Illegal robocalls aren’t just an annoyance, they’re a tool criminals use to steal from vulnerable people,” AG Skrmetti said. “Phone companies are the first line of defense against these scams, and putting stronger safeguards in place will make it harder for bad actors to exploit our communications networks.”

Key Demands for the FCC

To prevent scammers from abusing American telecom systems, the 50-state coalition is calling on federal regulators to enforce three major policy changes:

• Universal Standards: Apply enhanced KYC requirements to all originating providers, regardless of their size.

• Deeper Vetting: Require providers to thoroughly verify business operations and ensure full compliance with federal and state laws before granting network access.

• Active Oversight: Mandate additional screening and continuous monitoring for high-risk or high-volume calling accounts.

By hardening these rules, providers would be empowered to deny service to illegitimate organizations and immediately terminate accounts linked to suspicious or illegal activity.

The joint filing builds on work by the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force under its “Operation Robocall Roundup” initiative, which aims to cut off scam operations at the source. The letter was signed by AG Skrmetti alongside attorneys general representing 49 other states and U.S. territories.